What does "castrate" mean?

To castrate means to remove the testes of a human male or other male animal, while a castrate refers to a castrated male or eunuch. Some individuals may use the verb metaphorically to describe the act of taking away someone's perceived manhood or manliness.

The word "castrate" arose in the 1500s, though humans have used castration to torture others or to decrease sexual urges since before written history. Castration may include both removing the testicles physically and using chemicals to prevent the testicles from secreting male hormones. The person performing the procedure might also remove the penis. In Florida, the courts may sentence convicted sex offenders to chemical castration by injection.